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Monday, December 5, 2016

Meet the JUDGES! PitchMAS 2016

Don't forget that we often have a dozen or more agents and editors who pop onto the #PitchMAS hashtag during the Twitter pitch party (this year on 12/16), but are unable to participate on the blog pitch portion of PitchMAS, so their names are not listed here. We love our ninja agents and editors, especially when they pop in and surprise us!CHECK OUT THE SCHEDULE HERE!

***LITERARY AGENTS***

Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary:Kevan Lyon is a founding partner of Marsal
Lyon Literary Agency. With over 25 years in the publishing business, including
over 10 years as a literary agent and 17+ years on the wholesale, retail and
distribution side of the business, Kevan brings an informed and unique
perspective to her work with clients. Her background on the buying and retail
side of publishing affords her helpful insight into what types of books will
sell and how to market them. Kevan holds an MBA from the Anderson School of
Management at UCLA. Kevan handles women’s fiction, with an emphasis on
commercial women’s fiction, young adult fiction and all genres of romance.
Kevan works with her authors to help them realize their dreams of being
published and to build a long term career as a writer, and strives to partner
with her clients on all phases of the publishing path. Authors on Kevan’s list
span a broad range of genres in women’s fiction including historical fiction,
mystery, literary, commercial fiction and all genres of romance. She loves to
be swept away by a captivating story and fresh narrative voice.

Wishlist: Kevan
is looking for Women’s fiction of all
types, with an emphasis on contemporary and historical women’s fiction. Stories
that may be seen as “book-club” type fiction, as well as suspense, thriller
etc.

Heather Flaherty, The Bent Agency: Heather Flaherty grew up in Massachusetts, between
Boston and the Cape, and started working in New York City as a playwright
during college. After much country hopping and some work in editorial, Heather
became a YA and Children’s Literary Scout, consulting with foreign publishers
and Hollywood regarding what the next big book will be. As an Agent, she's
thrilled to grow authors for that same success. @HeddaFlaherty

Wishlist: Currently, she's looking for authors of
Middle-Grade and Young-Adult fiction, as well as select Adult Fiction and
Non-Fiction projects. For YA, she’s looking across all genres (SFF to
Contemporary, bright to dark), and loves an excellent and authentic teen voice.
For MG, she's looking for more realistic stories (either contemporary or
period), about coping, coming-of-age, or situations seen through the eyes of a
young person. In Adult, she leans towards upmarket fiction, female-centric
thrillers, commercial women’s fiction, as well as humor and pop-culture
non-fiction and teen memoir.

Laura Zats, Red Sofa Literary:Laura Zats is an
agent at Red Sofa Literary, where she represents authors of middle grade and
young adult fiction, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and erotica. She loves
books that feel like old friends and stories that expand her understanding of
the world. Laura is also one-half of Print Run, a publishing podcast.

Wish List: spunky
and/or poignant middle grade (particularly with science and adventure!),
YA of all types, untraditional romance with high heat, and fresh-feeling
science fiction and fantasy that pass the Bechdel Test. Laura is particularly
interested in geeky, feminist, and diverse books, with an emphasis on
#ownvoices.

Caitlin McDonald, Donald Maass Literary Agency:Caitlin McDonald joined DMLA in 2015, and was previously at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents adult and young adult speculative fiction, primarily science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and related subgenres, as well as contemporary fiction about geeky characters. She also handles a small amount of nonfiction in geeky areas, with a focus on feminist theory/women’s issues and pop culture. Caitlin grew up overseas and has a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

Mark Gottlieb, Trident Media Group:Mark
Gottlieb attended Emerson College and was President of its Publishing Club,
establishing the Wilde Press. After graduating with a degree in writing,
literature & publishing, he began his career with Penguin’s VP. Mark’s
first position at Publishers Marketplace’s #1-ranked literary agency, Trident
Media Group, was in foreign rights. Mark was EA to Trident’s Chairman and ran
the Audio Department. Mark is currently working with his own client list,
helping to manage and grow author careers with the unique resources available
to Trident. He has ranked #1 among Literary Agents on publishersmarketplace.com in Overall Deals and other
categories.

Nicole Resciniti, The Seymour Agency: Nicole has been listed by Publisher's Marketplace as a
top dealmaker in the country, and named ACFW's 2012 Agent of the Year. She
loves discovering new talent and helping established authors to take their
career to the next level. Do you have the next project to feed her book
addiction? A smart, tight read she won’t be able to put down? A signature voice
she’ll fight to represent? Romance, mainstream suspense, thrillers, mysteries,
YA, NA, MG, picture books, nonfiction, cookbooks, and inspirational novels are
welcome. A consummate science geek and card-carrying Mensa member, Nicole would
love to find the next great science fiction/fantasy novel or action/adventure
masterpiece.

Jennifer Wills, The Seymour Agency: Jennifer has five years’ experience in some of the
publishing industry’s leading literary agencies. She worked with
publishers around the world as an assistant in Trident Media Group’s huge foreign
rights department, and with domestic publishers as an assistant at Writers
House (where, incidentally, she began her career as an intern).

She joined the Seymour Agency in April 2016, where she
has quickly moved up the ranks to Associate Agent. Jennifer has always
loved helping fledgling authors become NYT bestsellers and she’s ready to be a
relentless champion for her own clients’ work. You can find her
@WillsWork4Books on Twitter.

Wish List: Jennifer
is particularly interested in a wide range of picture books and cookbooks, with
a soft spot for author/illustrators of sweet and wacky picture books, and
cookbooks with mouth-watering recipes of the health conscious, budget friendly
or celebrity chef variety. For fiction, she’s also interested in
middle grade and YA with a sci fi/fantasy, horror/suspense, or contemporary
bent, and upmarket women’s fiction with a sense of humor. On the nonfiction
side, narrative nonfiction and memoir are also welcome. If your
manuscript has a great hook, a distinct voice, and can make her laugh out loud
or ugly cry (or, even better, both), she’d love to see it.

Julie Gwinn, The Seymour Agency:Julie Gwinn, currently a literary agent with The Seymour Agency, has more than a decade in Christian publishing including serving as marketing manager then Fiction Publisher for B&H Publishing Group and Marketing Manager for Abingdon Press.Prior to joining the publishing industry, Gwinn has more than 20 years’ experience in advertising, marketing and public relations. She uses her previous experience to aid her authors at every phase of their publishing plan.She lives in Nashville, TN, with her husband and two children and also enjoys freelance editing, and DIY projects around the house.

Lauren Spieller, TriadaUS: Laurencomes to
TriadaUS with a background in literary scouting and editorial consulting.
She has a sharp editorial eye, and is passionate about author advocacy.

Wish List: In MG, she’s drawn to heartfelt
contemporaries, exciting adventures, contemporary fantasy and magical realism,
as well as light sci-fi. In YA, she’d love to find authentic teen voices
in any and all genres. She is especially fond of fantasy and
sci-fi, contemporary stories with a hook, and anything with a feminist
bent.

In Adult, Lauren is seeking commercial
fiction, particularly female-driven psychological thrillers, and immersive
literary fantasies. She is also interested in female-driven
upmarket fiction (especially if it's funny or has a touch of magical
realism!) and unique non-fiction with an existing platform. She's
particularly hungry for counter culture books, cocktail books with a twist/theme,
or narrative nonfiction with a unique hook. Whatever the age
category or genre, Lauren is passionate about finding diverse
and underrepresented voices.

Moe Ferrara, Bookends Literary:Becoming a literary agent was fitting for the girl who, as a small child, begged her dad to buy her a book simply because "it has a hard cover." Growing up, she had a hard time finding YA books outside of Christopher Pike and R. L. Stine, and instead tackled Tom Clancy or her mom's romance novels. Though her career path zigzagged a bit—she attended college as a music major, earned a JD from Pace Law School, then worked various jobs throughout the publishing industry—Moe was thrilled to join the BookEnds team in May of 2015 as a literary agent and the subsidiary rights director.

Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary:ABIGAIL SAMOUN was an in-house children’s book
editor for over ten years, working on a wide range of projects, from board
books to young adult novels. Her books received such honors as the CCBC
Charlotte Zolotow award, the New York Public Library Ezra Jack Keats award, and
the Pura Belpre. In 2011, Abigail made the transition from editing to agenting,
co-founding Red Fox Literary with Karen Grencik. She is the author of several
children’s books, including What’s In Your Purse? (Chronicle
Books, 2014) and the Little Traveler board book series (Sterling
Publishing). Abigail likes to organize her library according to which
authors would get along well together (the Brontes next to George Elliot, Lois
Lowry next to Margaret Atwood). Abigail lives in Sonoma, California with her
entomologist husband, a chihuahua, a gaggle of chickens, and two rambunctious
little boys. Visit www.redfoxliterary.com

Wish List: I'm an anglophile so anything British (particularly
Victorian) captures my attention. THE SECRET GARDEN was one of my favorite
books as a kid. I also like Gothic stories, ghost stories with a fresh
approach, contemporary fantasy, a heart-stopping thriller, or a concept-driven,
psychological horror story that really gets under your skin (like Caroline
Cooney's THE FOG trilogy). I'd love to find a middle-grade that's set in its
own strange, fantastical world, like A Series of Unfortunate Events or any of
the Roald Dahl books. For YA, I'm on the look-out for a romance about two
social misfits who have an "us-against-the-world" outlook. I'd also
love a historical YA that doesn't feel dusty or distant, but really steeps you
in the time and place and where the characters feel vital and intimate. I was
born in France so I have a soft spot for European settings, particularly Paris.
My tastes are fairly eclectic, but I do have a hard time really falling in love
with sci-fi or futuristic stories. The three principal things I look for
are good storytelling, a fresh approach, and a care and respect for
language.

Pam Howell, D4EO Literary,Pam Howell started her literary career as an assistant to an agent in early 2012. By April Pam was promoted to Associate Agent. In her first two years as an agent, Pam brokered 24 deals, with such publishers as Knopf, Scholastic, NAL, ACE, Grand Central, and others. She joined D4EO in June 2014, where she will continue to build her list. She has a passion for genre fiction as well as children's lit.

Wishlist:

Middle Grade - all genres

YA - all genres Adult - Fantasy and Sci-Fi

Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management: Terrie Wolf has been at AKALM for past seven years. Prior positions in publishing, international media, and government provided the groundwork for connections in print, television and film. She represents the nation’s largest independent line of coloring and activity books for adults and several top-selling mystery and thriller authors. The agency is honored to focus on the whole enchilada when it comes to career building and multi-platform opportunities for our diverse list of clients and their endeavors. You can find her: AKALM.net and @aka_terrie

Wish List:

Adult: Mystery, Thriller and SuspenseChildren’s: Remember the books that made you think, dream, and dare? Those are the ones I want to introduce to the world. I’m less concerned about genre, but exited to see your story, hear your voice and relish your words. Nonfiction: Activity books other than coloring books. Pop culture.

Rena Rossner, The Deborah Harris Agency:Rena is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University’s Writing Seminars Program, where she double-majored in poetry and non-fiction writing. She studied at Trinity College, Dublin and holds an MA in History from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She worked at bookstores in four countries, has written extensively for The Jerusalem Report and The Jerusalem Post, and worked in PR, grant-writing, and website development at The Jerusalem Foundation. She is a writer of both fiction and poetry as well as the author of the cookbook EATING THE BIBLE, which has been translated into five languages.

Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks: Deb Werksman has been at Sourcebooks for the
past eighteen years, before which she had her own publishing company. She
is the editorial director of romance fiction and acquires single title romance
in all subgenres. Sourcebooks publishes 6-8 romance titles per month, in print
and ebook formats simultaneously. We are the country's largest woman-owned
independent publishing house. We're known for our sales and marketing, as well
as our focus on building authors' careers.

Wish List:Single title romance in all subgenres: paranormal,
historical, romantic suspense, contemporary, erotic romance with: *a main
character the reader can relate to * a love interest she can fall in love
with * an imaginative, credible world gets created into which the reader
can escape * a hook we can sell within 2-3 sentences * a career arc
for the author (in other words, this book begins a series or begins a career
that we can build)

Becky Herrick, Sky Pony Press: Becky has recently joined Sky Pony Press as editor
after many years in editorial at Scholastic. She is originally from Ohio,
attended the University of Michigan, and now lives in Brooklyn with her husband
and cat. Becky is interested in YA, middle grade, and chapter books in most
genres.

Kisa Whipkey, REUTS Publications: Kisa Whipkey is a freelance editor, a dark fantasy
author, a martial arts demo team expert, and a complete sucker for Cadbury
Mini-eggs. She's also the Acquisitions & Editorial Director for YA/NA
publisher, REUTS Publications. She developed a passion for storytelling at a
young age and has pursued that love through animation, writing, video game
design, and demo teams, until finally finding her home in editing. She believes
in good storytelling, regardless of medium, and applauds anything featuring a
snarky lead character, a complicated narrative structure, and
brilliant/uncommon analogies. Currently, she lives in the soggy Pacific
Northwest with her husband and plethora of electronics.

Her personal blog--featuring sarcastic commentary on all
things storytelling--is located atwww.kisawhipkey.com.
Or connect with her via Twitter: @kisawhipkey. And, of course, to learn more
about REUTS Publications, please visitwww.reuts.com.

Wish List: At
heart, I am and always will be, a fantasy fan. So for now, I'm on a mission to
find some truly thrilling additions to the genre. My forte is dark fantasy, and
I adore anything with a multi-layered, intricate narrative that keeps me on my
toes. Adventure and a dash of romance are always a plus, but to wow me, I'll
need stellar world-building, fresh twists on the standard tropes, beautifully
crafted language, and characters who grip me emotionally and refuse to let go.
I'm looking YA/NA in any of the following sub-genres:

Dark High/EpicSword & SorceryMagic RealismSteampunkRomantic ContemporaryUrbanFairy Tale/MythologyMeta-fantasyScience FantasySome of my all-time favorite books include Uprooted by
Naomi Novik, Fire by Kristin Cashore, The Rose Master by
Valentina Cano, Shapechangers by Jennifer Roberson, and The
Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. I would love to find something
that has an original fairy-tale feel paired with elements of classic literature
like Jane Eyre, or Pride and Prejudice. Diverse
cultures and settings are also a plus, as I believe that fantasy--and
literature in general--should be infused with more of that. REUTS
Publications, as a company, is open to any genre of fiction in the YA &
NA categories. So I'll be scoping out anything that falls under those headers,
regardless of whether or not it matches my personal wish list.

Lisa Gus and Andrew Buckley, Curiosity Quills Press: At Curiosity Quills Press, we believe a book is a
portal to another world, a break from reality that frees both mind and spirit.
We want to bring a little piece of that magic to every life we touch with the
written word. W. Somerset Maugham once said, “To acquire the habit of reading
is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.”
Everyone needs a place where they can relax, become another person, travel to a
different realm. Welcome to CQ Press :)

Kate Brauning, Entangled Publishing:Kate
is a senior acquiring editor at Entangled Publishing and an author of young
adult fiction (How We Fall, Merit Press). Kate acquires YA, NA, and
adult fiction across Entangled’s imprints. She’s especially interested in
funny/charming or dark YA, and high-concept stories with literary writing,
regardless of genre. In adult fiction, she’s looking for small-town or
community-driven romances with clever or hilarious meet-cutes, and
romance-driven women’s fiction. Authors Kate has worked with include Lydia Kang,
Ingrid Paulson, Julie Hammerle, Tristina Wright, Erica Cameron, MK Meredith,
and Golden Heart finalist Kimberly Bell. In her spare time, she makes
three-tier cakes, hunts down new music, and reads just about everything. Kate
can be found on Twitter (@KateBrauning) and runs the group publishing blog
Publishing Hub.

Wish List:Light YA sci-fi set on Earth in modern-day with a strong
romance. Sweet to spicy adult romance that revolves around clever and
unusual meet-cutes, especially with strong setting and a strong community feel.
Bonus points for LGBTQ+. Adult romantic suspense, especially featuring
hackers. Adult international espionage and CIA/FBI thrillers with
heat. NA romance with a unique twist we haven't seen before. A sweet,
sports-centric romance for our Bliss imprint, like FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS meets
SWEET HOME ALABAMA. Fluffy, light hearted YA paranormal romance (comp
to Gail Carriger) for our Crave imprint. YA of any genre with a big-hook,
high-concept plot and gorgeous writing.

Mackenzie Walton, Carina Press:Since entering the publishing world in 2007, Mackenzie
Walton has edited a number of New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors.
She joined Carina Press as a freelance editor in 2016. When not working, she
likes to read, listen to podcasts, paint her nails, and take way too many
photos of her pets. You can follow Mackenzie on Twitter @mackenziewalton.

Wish List: I’m
open to romance in all subgenres (excluding inspirational), and am particularly
interested in LGBTQ, paranormal, contemporary, erotic, and historical in any
time period/setting, as well as urban fantasy and mystery. I especially love
reading diverse casts, opposites-attract couples, intricate world-building, and
strong, authentic dialogue with distinct character voices.